How to Increase Sales in Your Service Drive

Retail is one of the most controllable types of business that dealership repair shops have. So why do we seem to never have enough of it in the service drive?

Some reasons, such as competing recall work and general business cycles, certainly complicate matters, but though they’re not a walk in the park, they are controllable . . . if you have a plan.

Yes, you read that right: With proper planning, you need never run out of work on slow days, and you get a bonus when times are good.

Every day, enormous sums of money are left on the table because no one asks for it. But asking is only half the job. Knowing when to ask is the other.

In any transaction, there are points where customers are more likely to buy than others. Unfortunately the “ask” often happens, if it happens at all, just when your odds are at their worst. Vegas card counters know that they increase their chances of winning by placing their bets when the cards are statistically in their favor.

Although customers are not cards, the same strategy can be applied to the average service visit. So assuming that you run an ethical shop and have skilled technicians doing the work, when are the best times to place your bets? Two of them are the appointment and the write-up.

The appointment
When customers call for an appointment, after you’ve given them a hearty greeting, provided accurate repair descriptions, and set a time, a well-placed recommendation can yield positive results.

If your customers ask for basic services, you can be sure that maintenance is near the top of their mind. Suggesting additional relevant services can prompt customers to add to their maintenance shopping list.